Spring

Smack!

"Hahaha, now it's your turn to be 'it,' Adele!"

Fram slapped my back hard as he jumped down from the tree. I snapped back to reality, thanks to him.

"Hey! Wait up, you little rascal!"

I quickly jumped down from the tree, determined to chase after him with all my might.

"Hiya!" I smacked Fram's back hard as payback for earlier.

"Eek!"

Fram was startled, surprised that I could catch up to him so easily. After I tagged him, he stopped running and turned to face me.

"You're amazing, Adele! There's no one in the village of Ercangaud who's stronger than you!" With his breath coming in quick gasps, Fram smiled a little. He was praising me, but for some reason, it made me feel annoyed.

"Ow! That hurts! Why did you do that?!"

"I don't know. I just felt a bit annoyed thanks to someone." I pinched Fram's arm, making him yelp in pain.

"Kids! It's time for us to go!"

I hadn't realized that Fram's mother had come to pick him up. She didn't notice that I had just pinched him, right?

"Ah! Yes, Mom!"

"Let's play again sometime, Sister Adele!" Fram then ran off to follow his mother. It seemed he held no grudge, even after I pinched his arm until it turned red.

Maybe I should head home too. I'm tired after all that running around. Now it's time to join the offering ceremony with Dad, Mom, and Fleda.

***

"I'm home!"

"Welcome back!"

Mom immediately came to greet me in the living room. I glanced around and noticed that Dad and Fleda were not there. It seemed they had left earlier.

"Did you have fun playing with Fram?"

I nodded in response to Mom.

"Wash your face first, dear. Your face is covered in dust. I'll head out now, and after you wash your face, don't forget to go to the big tree."

"Okay, Mom."

I went to the back to wash my face. Once I was done, I felt incredibly refreshed. Without wasting any time, I hurried off to the big tree.

"O wise ancestors, may our small offering be accepted. Bless us with a bountiful harvest. Send down just enough rain—not too little to cause drought, and not too much to cause flooding."

"Amen."

"Amen."

I remained silent, observing the village elders making offerings at the big tree, which the villagers believed to be sacred. However, to me, it looked like just an ordinary, ancient tree. It is true that there is a guardian spirit associated with it, but is it really the spirit of our ancestors? Its form is too abstract to be called our forebears.

Perhaps I was overthinking it. Every sowing period, we are obligated to make offerings to our ancestors' spirits. All the elders and children in the village of Ercangaud participate in this ritual, hoping to be blessed with a bountiful harvest.

***

After the offering ceremony was over, I headed straight back home. However, no one answered my call. It seemed that Dad, Mom, and Fleda were still outside.

Oh, well. Maybe I would read some of Dad's old books on the shelf in his room. To be honest, I had already read almost all the books on that shelf. But still, there might be an interesting book that I hadn't come across yet.

Creak...

The entrance to Dad and Mom's room was indeed old and worn. Yet, I still disliked the sound it made.

Quietly, I stepped into Dad's room. As I walked through, the distinct scent of aged wood filled the air. I loved smells like this because they reminded me of Dad.

I looked up at the bookshelf. I hadn't read the books on the top shelf yet. The books on the lower shelf were all familiar to me. Unfortunately, they were mostly romantic novels or philosophy books, neither of which particularly interested me.

Since I was still too short to reach the top shelf, I searched for a chair to use as a step.

With a grunt, I managed to lift the chair, which was quite heavy. I placed it in front of the bookshelf and climbed on top to examine the titles one by one.

"Crop Rotation Techniques of the Nix Tribe." No.

"The History of the Ingvaeon Kingdom." That could work.

"The Tale of the Eight-Year War." Interesting, but maybe another time.

"And... Basic Knowledge of Mana and Law."

"Ah!" I was intrigued by that book and decided to read it in my room. Before heading back, I made sure to tidy up Dad's room so he wouldn't suspect I had taken any of his books.

I strolled leisurely to my room, carrying the thick book. Before I started reading, I always made sure to lock my door.

Once I had secured the door, I jumped onto my bed and began inspecting the condition of the book.

"Let's see..."

At first glance, the book looked worn and dusty. Perhaps it had been on Dad's shelf for decades. The scent of aged paper and dried ink mixed with dust created a unique aroma that filled my nostrils.

"Achoo!" Perhaps due to the accumulated dust, I sneezed unexpectedly. I opened the book, starting from the cover.

Ah, the smell reminded me so much of Dad. Simple yet captivating. I gradually began to read the essence of the book.

"...Mana is the result of the cycle of life produced by nature. As long as there is nature and life in the world, the amount of mana will never run out."

"...Various researchers and alchemists have concluded that mana is essentially 'the law of nature' that can create natural phenomena such as storms, tornadoes, volcanic eruptions, earthquakes, tsunamis, lightning, and more."

"...A mana can be converted into a form, but it cannot be created nor destroyed."

After reading about the first 30 pages, I became fascinated by the concept of mana explained in this book. Engrossed in its content, I began theorizing about various aspects related to mana mentioned in the text. For instance, if I could master law effectively, I could create all sorts of natural phenomena at will. Perhaps there would come a time when I could conjure a storm with just a snap of my fingers. Just kidding, haha.

"How wonderful it would be if I could wield law!"

Oh, dear, it seemed I had gotten lost in daydreams in the middle of reading.

"...Mana is elemental, corresponding to the elements and aligned with the natural phenomena it produces. For example, storms are caused by wind-element mana, earthquakes by earth-element mana, tsunamis by water-element mana, and so on. Researchers and alchemists categorize the basic mana elements into seven types: fire, air, water, earth, light, lightning, and space."

"...Mana can also be controlled by living beings, manifesting extraordinary phenomena. In the Zea Continent, only a select few are blessed with this ability."

"...The manipulation of mana here is called 'Law,' utilizing natural mana as fuel to create supernatural phenomena through its users."

"...Law practitioners typically employ script recitation—that is, incantations commonly spoken in ancient Zean tongue while channeling mana. The mana infused into these scripts then executes the caster's will as dictated by the words. Aside from Ancient Zea, there were some unique types of script where one uses another language; for example, the fairia and demon races which scripts are based on their own language."

"...Once invoked, the commanded natural phenomenon occurs. Its scale varies with the caster's mana capacity, while efficiency depends on the script's specificity."

The wonder of this world struck me anew. Though Dad had briefly taught me about mana and Law before, hearing it explained this way rekindled my fascination. Particularly his claim that I could already perceive the mana particles drifting around us.

Logically, this defied all reason—much like Dad's philosophy books. Yet I surrendered to the thrill of possibility. Eager to test the methods described, I rose from my bed with newfound determination, facing my cherished teddy bear across the room.

Following the manual's instructions, I gathered ambient mana into my palm. A deep breath steadied me as I recited a basic-tier script.

"Adolebitque!"

...Nothing. Perhaps the wrong incantation. I tried again.

"Et percutiamus!"

Stillness answered. Heat rose to my cheeks. I glanced around the empty room, grateful for my solitude. Curiosity overpowered embarrassment as I raised my hand once more toward the unsuspecting plush.

"ExIbunt Aquae!"

Light exploded from my palm with blinding intensity. Before I could react, a pressurized water jet erupted from the luminous burst.

"Cold!" The thought barely registered as my arm transformed into an unwieldy stream. Through sheer instinct, I severed the mana flow, though not before—

CRASH!

The recoil flung me backward, my skull meeting mattress as the water cannon's residual force obliterated my childhood companion. Splinters of stuffing and porcelain rained down while water cascaded across every surface.

"Oww..."

The aftermath revealed a warzone—soaked bedding, shattered toys, and my once-cozy room now resembled a flooded grotto.

The door burst open with a thunderous bang. Dad's panicked voice cut through the dripping chaos. "Adele! What's going on here!? Are you hurt!?"

Before I could muster a reply, Mom engulfed me in a trembling embrace. "Sweetheart! Look at your forehead! Does it hurt? Why would you..." Her tear-glazed eyes inspected me for injuries as Dad surveyed the damage.

His gaze froze on the soggy primer lying open by my bedside—Fundamentals of Mana and Law. My damning evidence. I braced for reprimand, eyes squeezed shut against impending wrath.

Instead, warm fingers gently tousled my hair. "Our clever girl," Dad murmured, pride softening his features. "Next time you wish to practice, simply ask for guidance. Let's avoid repeating today's... enthusiasm, yes?"

The unexpected praise left me speechless. When Mom's hold tightened protectively, silent tears soaked into her dress—relief, shame, and wonder mingling in warm drops.

Fatigue from the ordeal soon pulled me into sleep's embrace, cradled in maternal warmth. As consciousness faded, one's thought lingered: how I wished this comforting safety could last forever.

***

Dawn's light filtered through the windows before I realized. My body, sore from yesterday's ordeal, now felt remarkably recovered—though I might have overslept. Yawning widely, I stretched my arms skyward and rubbed sleep from my eyes. For several minutes I simply stared blankly at Dad's bedroom ceiling, mentally preparing for the day.

The comforting scent of aged cedar permeated the room, its familiar warmth more soothing than my own quarters' straw mattress. Part of me wished to burrow back under these luxurious covers forever, but destiny had other plans.

Creeeak.

The door's familiar groan announced company. "Sis's awake!" Fleda's sing-song voice preceded her entrance, carefully balancing a steaming bowl. "Caught you just in time! Mom made pram! I saved half for you!" My sixteen-years younger sister beamed, offering the aromatic porridge with flourishes worthy of royal service.

"You're the sweetest little sister anyone could ask for," I murmured, pulling her into a cinnamon-scented hug. Her spontaneous giggles melted my lingering anxieties as effectively as Mom's pram warmed my stomach.

Between spoonfuls of the perfect rice pudding, Fleda launched into yesterday's adventures: "So Dad and I went to the fields, and there was this HUGE rat chewing through the barley! We chased it past the millpond and..." Her hands flew like excited sparrows illustrating the epic rodent hunt.

"...and then we trapped it in Granny Yula's old cider barrel!" she concluded triumphantly.

"Bravo, mighty huntress!" I tousled her chestnut curls. "You must tell me more tales later."

Our moment was interrupted by Mom's arrival. "Feeling better, sweetheart?" Her fingers brushed my forehead tenderly.

"Much, Mom."

"Good. Your father wants to talk on the porch." Her meaningful glance sent my stomach plummeting. Was yesterday's leniency about to be revoked?

Leaving our empty bowls, Fleda shadowed me through the sun-dappled hallway. Each step toward the veranda made my palms sweatier. There sat Dad beneath the ancient oak, his silhouette haloed by morning mist. My legs moved autonomously, delivering me to this parental tribunal.

"About yesterday..." Dad began.

I gulped audibly. "Yes, Dad...?"

His sudden chuckle startled me. "Relax, I'm not angry." My shoulders slumped in relief; childhood memories of his rare reprimands still vivid. "It's time you knew the truth, Adele."

"The truth? Am I... dying? Like those tragic heroines in your romance novels?"

"Now we know who's been sneaking into my study!" Dad's eyes twinkled. "But no. Have you noticed something different about yourself? Why you're the only white-haired elf in Ercangaud?"

The question I'd secretly pondered for years hung between us. My jesting mask faltered. "Actually... you're not our biological child."

The world tilted. Part of me had always suspected this—the way villagers' eyes lingered on my pale locks, Mom's evasive answers about my past. Yet hearing it aloud felt like stepping into one of Dad's storybooks.

As Dad recounted finding me swaddled in moonlit ferns, I half-expected declarations of royal lineage. Instead came revelations stranger than fiction: "You're a high elf, Adele. Your silver hair marks immense magical potential. What happened yesterday wasn't an accident. It was your heritage awakening."

My mind reeled. High elves? The legendary beings from Mom's tales? I bit my lip to suppress giddy laughter. Not every day you discover you're essentially magical royalty. Though they have nothing to do with the Ingvaeon royal family.

"Starting tomorrow," Dad continued, "we'll train your mana control. Properly this time." His gaze shifted to where Fleda eavesdropped by the hydrangeas. "You can join too, little sprout."

"Yay! Magic lessons with Sis!" Fleda's cheer summoned Mom, who'd been pretending not to listen from the kitchen.

"I thought you'd scold her," Mom teased, wiping flour-dusted hands on her apron.

"How could I stay mad at this face?" Dad pinched my cheek affectionately. "Though no more unsupervised script casting, understood?"

The day I'd dreaded transformed into something wondrous. As Fleda chattered about magic robes and wand designs, I gazed at my hands—these ordinary-seeming palms holding extraordinary power. Tomorrow couldn't come soon enough.

***